Nix-Resources - Maori Geography terms

Maori Terms in Geography
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Aroha		Love and empathy. It is an attitude and an important cultural value of Māori, derived from a particular Māori view of the natural world and the place of Māori within it. Aroha is an important concept that underpins a Māori environmental management system.
Hekenga		migration occurs to meet the needs of Māori at any one time and in response to outside forces.
Iwi		a tribe who has particular geographical boundaries outlining the region in which they have mana-whenua status.
Kaitiakitanga		to “care for” the environment. It is the sustainable use, management and control of natural and physical resources that are carried out to the mutual benefit of people and resources.
Karakia		incantations or prayers for a specific purpose, such as lifting the tapu off an area of land in order that it may be cultivated.
Koha		the concept of koha is related to manaakitanga and the appropriate acknowledgement of sharing hospitality and/or information. Koha may take the form of food, gifts or more recently money.
Kōrero pūrākau		a legend or story that explains an event or activity.
Mana whenua		the right to use, manage and control land depends on the protection of mana whenua. Mana whenua is based on Ahikā (Iwi maintaining residence in a particular place) and is an important part of tino rangatiratanga (self-determination).
Mana		derived from spirituality, land and ancestral linkages of a person, of people or a taonga and manifests itself as the respect, which is paid to that person, those people or that taonga as a result of the esteem accorded by others. The practice of kaitiakitanga is carried out by Iwi and hapū, through exercising Iwi and hapū Mana, which is embodied in the concept of Tino Rangatiratanga.
Manaakitanga		Is a concept that involves hospitality and how visitors are cared for. It is important that such hospitality is acknowledged and reciprocated.
Mihi		Is a process of formally acknowledging people you meet, the purpose of the meeting, and the place (where the meeting is being held), through protocols set by the iwi.
Taonga		Is a resource either physical or cultural that can be found in the environment (including features within the environment e.g. lakes, mountains, rivers, also including people, te reo, whakapapa, etc.).
Tapu/noa		Is the state of being sacred or special. All taonga are tapu. The tapu of taonga needs to be removed temporarily in some cases before people can make use of, or tend them. Karakia are important for the removal of tapu and rendering the taonga noa (free of tapu, contactable or useable).
Tikanga Māori		The customs and traditions Māori live by and practise within the environment.
Tino Rangatiratanga		Includes the rights, responsibilities and obligations involving the use,management and control of the land and other resources.
Waiata tawhito		A song or chant that has been passed down through generations within iwi. It may include information that explains events relating to the environment.
Whakanohonoho		Māori settlement was chiefly governed by access to resources.
Whakapapa		The geneaology of a taonga or person (ancestral and/or historical) with linkages to other taonga or persons.